The Others
by X-girl
Summary: Do they know who they are?
1. Default Chapter

Title: The Others

By: X-Girl

E-mail: ChaviWestwind@hotmail.com

Rating: G now, later NC-17

Summary: Is everyone who they really think they are?

Category: All couples, after Season Finale, so spoilers for that.

Author's note: There is an actual rumored crash found in Kingman, Arizona in May 20, 1953, but a hole was found in the 30 foot disc, which was decided to be the cause of the crash. Any details that I have added are fictional. An abuelita is a grandmother, in Spanish, I think.

Max had always wondered about the other UFO sightings, the other crashes that had happened. The United States was large, and sightings were recorded daily. Could they be related to Max and Iz and Michael? Tess had said that in her traveling across the states, she had never met another alien besides Nasedo. But had he been keeping information from Tess to control her? To tease her mind and force her to obey his whims, his deal with the Skins on Antar?

Now he knew.

~*~*~

On May 20th, 1953, a UFO was found embedded in the soft sand of Kingman, Arizona. While being empty, a storm from the night before had destroyed any possible tracks or trails indicating whether or not the inhabitants had fled or died.

Not too far away, maybe 200 or so yards away, the sand had also uncovered hard rock, and a den whittled by thousands of years of pressurized sand and wind. Curiously, the entrance was sealed, and it looked like an ordinary rock formation.

When the hard sunlight beat upon it and people passed it while driving the highway, they did double takes. The rock never submerged beneath the sand again, although sand storms tried over the years. And if a lost straggler on their way to Roswell passed, they would see a reflection of light like a small mirror from the side, and excited, would stop and move back and forth, trying to see the momentarily blinding light again. Finally convinced it was a trick of their own eyes, they would get back in their cars and continue driving on to a confirmed UFO sighting.

Maybe they were going nuts.

Maybe the silver handprint was just fading away.

~*~*~

Many years later, eight pods burst open at different times.

A small blonde girl with haloed ringlets was picked up by an older man who took her away.

Two others waited in a dark room, trying not to cry, pressing themselves against the warmth of the remaining two pods. Their own broken pod was becoming colder, and they huddled together for warmth. The rustling and dim light kept them company.

A young boy with his hair sticking straight up into the air huddled against a remaining pod, looking around for the other inhabitant of the burst pod before leaving the cave looking for food and water. He was picked up by a rancher, who took the child to a nearby police department, where the boy shivered despite blankets and warm food. Nothing could make him feel warmer than sitting next to that pod. He wished he had stayed there.

When the last two pods finally broke, an arm flailed from each pod, at first softly, than more franticly. The pods gave way a little, but the weak limbs were no use, and with less oxygen, they were becoming weaker. The other two were beginning to panic, screaming and beating against the pods, guttural, primal sounds of anguish, fear, and panic. The hardened gel began to crack, and finally, after a couple of minutes, two bodies tumbled into the other two.

Gasping for breath, they helped each other up, than looked at each other for a while. Finally, the dark haired girl that had broken free first with the other dark haired boy turned around, fingers spread open, and moved her hands across the surfaces of the rocks. The other three watched for a while, then began to mimic her movements.

The strawberry blonde squealed as she pressed her hand against the warmer rock and a silver handprint flared, the rock disappearing like it never existed.

The children walked together, unsure of what to do or where to go. The followed their instincts and walked until they came upon a ranch. They skirted the premises, but could not avoid the young woman that was riding at night. She walked them back to the ranch, where they stayed. She remembered a barren daughter that had moved east, to New Mexico. A daughter or son would bring joy to her life. She wouldn't mind becoming an _abuelita_ so soon. The next day, she set off on the long drive to Roswell, New Mexico.

The last pod opened easily, with all four arms pushing. Together, they crawled out of the cave. Together, they wandered along the highway. Together, they were picked up by a young couple. Together, they were adopted.

And the rest is history.


	2. News

~*~*~

Almost a decade later

~*~*~

When Max began drumming his fingers after Tess left in the Granulith, Liz freaked out. She called Kyle and Maria, meeting over at Maria's, and told them. Kyle stared at her, while Maria immediately jumped up.

"We have to tell him. We have to tell him now, or he'll think we're just conspiring against him again." Maria paced nervously, after her mother's mind warp and Kyle's, she was getting tired of Tess's powers.

"He wouldn't believe us!" Liz was tired of fighting with Max, she just wanted to be together with him again. Maybe it was nothing.

"No. Maria's right, we have to tell him. It could be something about Alex. It could be something important." Kyle looked down at his own folded hands.

Liz paced agitatedly, then slowed, collapsing on Maria's couch.

"Ok."

~*~*~

Max stared at Liz. She stared down, folding and unfolding her fingers and squirming in the booth's squeaky vinyl seat. Maria wiped down the counter for the 45th time.

"H--How do I get rid of it?" Max's eyes were wide, the only sign of his nervousness or fear. Trying to keep himself calm, he tried to think of intelligent questions to keep his mind busy. Liz wasn't fooled.

"I--We don't really know. If we tell you what we DO know, we're afraid it won't work, or that you might subconsciously suppress it. We'll all be around though, and we'll tell you if we find out more." Liz snuck a peek at Max and found his eyes. She ducked her head and bit her lip, unsure of how to make him understand. "Whatever information Tess suppressed, we don't want to lose it. It could be important to all of us. I mean--" Liz stopped when Max got out of the booth and slid into her side. Suddenly it was too close and too fast for Liz.

"Max..." She looked up at him through her lashes, and his fingers trailed along her cheek, brushing back her hair. She looked down, and she could feel his warm breath against her cheek and afraid to look up, afraid of what would happen if she moved. What about Tess?

She forgot completely about Tess when his fingers moved against her lips and down to touch her pulse. She forgot about not looking up and did, finding his eyes dark. He leaned toward her, keeping his eyes open as he brushed his lips against hers, gauging her reaction. Her eyes closed and she sighed at the first touch of their lips.

She smelled like warm jasmine, as opposed to Tess's apple scent, and he kissed her again, this time closing his own eyes. Maria snuck out, holding the bell and closing the door softly. They didn't even notice. Max threaded his fingers through her hair, stroking her cheek with his thumb. Liz shifted, and Max's other hand landed behind her on the seat to lean closer. She opened her mouth to deepen the kiss and Max's head flooded with images.

::Kissing Tess::

::Kissing Liz::

::The blood red sea::

::Meeting Tess at the Cliffs::

::Suddenly it was Liz at the Cliffs::

::Liz he first kissed while star gazing::

The images flashed from Liz to Tess to Liz to Tess to Liz until there was only a blur. Then darkness.

~*~*~

"I don't know what's wrong with him, he's healthy. I'm not good at this...Max knows more than I do. I should have learned..."

"Izzy, it's not your fault. It's difficult to learn."

Max's eyes fluttered and he groaned, the bright lights spiking through his eyelids.

"He's waking up!"

"Quick, go wake Liz!"

Max's eyes flirted with the idea of opening again, and finally did, still squinting. Liz stumbled into the room, rubbing sleep from her eyes and reaching for Max. He caught her fingers and squeezed, and she clasped his hand between hers.

He blinked rapidly as the images tripled, doubled, then focused. For a moment he stared, then blinked again.

"Alusia."

~*~*~

TBC...


End file.
